Sculptures of Gromit already visited by 100,000

MORE than 100,000 people are believed to have visited giant Gromit sculptures since they were unleashed on the streets of Bristol.

The initial 150,000 maps and 100,000 passports printed for the Gromit Unleashed public arts trail have almost run out and are currently being reprinted.

The trail, featuring 80 statues of the popular pooch decorated by a host of celebrities, local, national and international artists, officially started on July 1 and in the first month, Gromit fever has swept through the city.

In that time the Gromit Unleashed website has received 400,000 visits, about a quarter of which were from overseas. It has proved particularly popular with Americans but there have also been visits from Canada, Mexico, Australia, Germany, Italy, Spain and France.

More than 20,000 people have downloaded the Detect-o-Gromit smart phone app accompanying the trail.

More than 16,000 people have visited The Art of Gromit Unleashed shop opposite Bristol Children's Hospital and the exhibition inside the shop at The Mall Cribbs Causeway has seen an average of 2,000 visitors a day.

City tourist attractions and passport stops on the trail, including the Tourist Information Centre and At Bristol have reported a dramatic increase in footfall, with M shed and Bristol Museum & Art Gallery seeing visitors increase by about 50 per cent over the launch weekend compared to last year.

As well as proving popular with Bristolians and visitors to the city the 5ft Gromit sculptures will benefit Bristol Children's Hospital. After the trail ends on September 8 all of the statues of the Oscar-winning character will be auctioned for the hospital's expansion appeal.

Director of children's hospital charity the Grand Appeal, Nicola Masters, above, said: "The good weather, the start of the school holidays and the Harbour Festival have brought the public out in force and more people than ever are 'Gromiting' their way around the city. We are handling hundreds of Gromit Unleashed inquiries each day and expect visitor numbers to keep rising, with local trail-goers, UK and international tourists all keen to meet the Gromits and support the charity cause."